21 février 2012

UGTT vs Nahda : Revolution 2?

Tunisia was marked today by clashes between the UGTT, first labour organisation in the country and Nahda Party in power in Tunisia after October 23rd elections. Incidents started after a general strike announced in municipalities in Tunisia. The syndicalist union accuses the Nahda partisans of throwing rubbish and wastes in front of its different locals in different cities of Tunisia and burning an office in Fernana in the region of Kasserine. The accusation were reported by the labour union spokesmen in TT1 the Tunisian state tv. The Echab (people) newspaper, voice of the UGTT, announced in his page in facebook that syndicalist militants arrested three militiaman who tried to attack UGTT office in Manouba in the west of the capital Tunis.

Few days ago, UGTT blamed the transition
president and government for their position from the Syrian crisis. The
Tunisian interim president ordered the Syrian ambassador to leave the
country and Tunisian will host Syria friends meeting next Friday. Many
organisations of the civil society and political parties including
Ettakatol member of the governing coalition called troika announced their support of the labour union. A march will be organised on
Saturday afternoon in Mohamed Ali place historical head quarter of the
UGTT.

In absence of serious opposition to Nahda and his intention to include Islamic laws in the constitution, many Tunisians see the UGTT as an alternative opposition especially with its capacity to mobilize the Tunisian street. Note
that UGTT played an important role the Ben Ali regime fall in January
14th after in successful general strike in different cities. It
participated also a movement of protestation that pushed Mohamed
Ghanouchi government to resign and lead to the constitutional elections
that brought Nahda to power in Tunisia.

The conflict between Nahda and UGTT isn't the beginning of a second chapter of the Jasmine revolution?